Some of the most powerful political arguments can be made through drama and theatre, and one Sixth Form College student is challenging us to think about the environment as she performs in a sold-out show at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre.

Drama & Theatre Studies student, Lucy White, is part of the Young Everyman Playhouse, who are showcasing their dramatic talents in an original production called The Environmentalists, which has sold out the theatre’s full 400 capacity for each of its four nights.

Fellow students and Drama & Theatre Studies teacher, Liz Bones, were part of the audience for the first night, supporting Lucy and getting involved in the interactive piece, which is a bold statement about caring for the environment in young people’s own words,  meant to be ‘terrifyingly hilarious and heart-wrenching’ while promising not to be ‘preachy’.

Speaking after the opening night success, Lucy said: “The audience were great, they were all getting up and dancing and laughing, which is exactly what we wanted to see. They had awkward reactions when we wanted them to as well. We had a big panic button so if they felt that way during any of our scenes they could come down and press it and something would happen, but I can’t say what!”

A Level student Lucy, who also studies Psychology and Sociology, is focused on a career in acting after university and explained that her studies at college have given her a broader perspective as a platform for her chosen profession:

“Obviously the practical side and working towards exam pieces in Theatre Studies help towards improving your performance, but the theory parts of the course are so useful too. When you understand about staging and the technicalities it actually helps you as an actor, knowing and appreciating everyone’s roles.

“Liz has been such an excellent teacher. She really knows her stuff and she pushes you to the best of your ability.”

Lucy, who joined us from Prenton High School in 2014, has just moved up to the top age group in the Young Everyman Playhouse, which means she is staring on the main stage for the first time. Her acting with the YEP has meant that Lucy has been approached about TV work too, and the confidence that she’s built up through that and her college life means that the hundreds-strong crowd doesn’t faze her:

“I haven’t been nervous when maybe I could or should have been! I think it feels ok because it’s such an ensemble piece. You have people around you who have performed in lots of shows and others that were new like me, so you’re supported by the whole team.”

She even had time to glance up and spot the home support in the audience, saying: “I could see all my classmates getting up and dancing and laughing – it’s always good to know that people laugh at your jokes! You never quite know if someone will get the humour!”

Teacher, Liz Bones, said: "Lucy's worked really hard in rehearsing the show and it was great to be able to take a group of students from the college to see the final result. The show was really thought provoking and full of interesting theatrical ideas that definitely inspired the students. Lucy's preparing for her A2 Theatre Studies practical exam and her performance in the show just demonstrated what a confident, engaging performer she is."

Health & Social Care students were given the responsibility of testing a pilot workshop scheme by health professionals, dealing with the issue of cannabis use in young parents and its effect on child brain development.

The product of a partnership between the Barnardo’s Healthy Child Programme for 0-19 and Response, the Wirral advice and guidance agency for 13 to 19-year-olds, the workshop focusses on helping young parents make informed decisions for the well-being of their child where cannabis is involved.

Our students were chosen to test the workshop and give an honest appraisal and feedback to the health professionals in order to maximise the impact it could have.

Speaking before the pilot session, Heidi Clark from Barnardo’s said: “We approached the Sixth Form College because we though the Health and Social Care students would be a really great place to pitch this. They can give us an insight into its content and its delivery and they might have some information that we don’t have!

“The students here will maybe, and hopefully, go a long way to changing the way we work with young families who deal with cannabis use. We hope that this is of an interest to Health and Social Care students as it is a health promotion, and we want them to be brutally honest with their feedback because they’re helping to shape something really positive.”

The work between parenting and child brain development specialist Heidi, and her Response counterpart Phil Hamilton whose expertise lie in dealing with teenage drug use, is based on research that was shared with them by Arrowe Park Teenage Pregnancy Clinic and the numbers of young parents presenting to them where there is, or has been, on-going cannabis use.

Heidi explained that the inconclusive research in the effects cannabis use doesn’t help young people make the right decisions, and said: “The message for us is that cannabis use where you are raising a child impacts on brain development and that could be a sign of neglect. What we’re hoping to do with this workshop is a risk reduction plan for young people that have been identified through different services like social care and the teenage pregnancy clinic, and if they are continuing to use cannabis, that they do so in a way that doesn’t impact on their child’s development.”

Andy Walton, Head of Health & Social Care at the Sixth Form College said after the workshop: “The feedback supplied from our students was excellent; the health professionals were very impressed and very appreciative of their assistance. Heidi and Phil are going to send us a breakdown of how our students have helped shape their workshop and we have been invited to the launch of the programme with fellow industry professionals.”

Andy concluded: “As well helping with the feedback, the students learned about the five key ingredients to give babies the best start – Talk, Play, Relax, Cuddle and Respond – and how cannabis use can impact upon this critical period within the child’s first three years. They also gained some expert knowledge and insight into Response and their work in the Wirral, and got to make worthwhile contributions to the harm reduction plan to support other young people.”

Three Chemistry students put their practical skills to the test and had to think on their feet as they competed in this year’s Royal Society of Chemistry Merseyside Young Analyst Competition.

Hosted by the University of Liverpool, first year Honours Programme students William Davies, Olivia McGowan and Emily Wagstaff were given the opportunity to work in the state-of-the-art facilities at the new Central Teaching Laboratories, using their knowledge and analytical skills in specially designed tests.

The Sixth Form College team had to take what they could from an initial competition briefing and add that to the learning foundation they already had in order to perform experiments specifically chosen as they are not of A Level specification.

First year, Emily Wagstaff, who was part of the trio, said: “After the briefing, we had two-and-a-half hours to perform different tasks in our team. Some of the experiments were things that were totally new to us, which was the purpose of the competition, but we had to complete them as accurately as we could. Even though we’d not done them before, we did understand what was needed and we got the experiments done, which we were all pleased with because we weren’t expecting to be able to do them all!”

Using a variety of analytical techniques, the team, who joined us from Wirral Grammar School for Girls and Woodchurch High School respectively, had to accurately identify and measure a range of additives in a Cola drink.

Honours student Emily, who studies Chemistry, Biology, Maths and Physics, continued: “It gave us some great experience in a situation that was outside of our comfort zone and really tested us. Even though the experiments weren’t A Level specified,  it can all be related and it gave us a better feel of how to perform other experiments that are similar. The broader background knowledge can really help.”

Although the team didn’t take home the competition trophy, Emily, with designs on a career in Medicine and set for the highest possible grades in the summer, added: “We didn’t find out the winners on the day but our teacher, Steve Houghton, was sent a breakdown of the correct answers and we got really close. Will (Davies) got very competitive when we were there! I’ve known him for a while but it was a chance for me to get to know Liv (McGowan) who I’ve not crossed paths with as much, so it was a great experience.”

Science teacher, Steve Houghton, who enters a team into the Young Analyst Competition each year, said: “We didn’t manage to get into the top three but the team did really well. It was great for the students to get to work in the new labs at the University of Liverpool and I’m sure the experience will be very beneficial to all three students.”

“The practice that they got in speaking the language is the best possible preparation for their exams,” says Spanish teacher Cristina Fernandez, who has just returned from Salamanca in northwestern Spain with ten students.

With their A Level exams closing in, ten Spanish students spent four days honing their chosen language of study and soaking in the culture and vibrancy of an ornate city, staying with Spanish families in the area rather than hotels in order to put their linguistic skills to practical use.

The capital of the Castile-Leon region, Salamanca boasts the fourth oldest western university, along with the site on which Christopher Columbus made his case for the King and Queen of Spain to finance his expedition to the Indies, so there’s no shortage of history and culture in the city.

After spending the mornings taking in lessons with local students, the afternoons were spent with their host families and visiting some of the incredible architecture and historical monuments in Salamanca.

A Level Spanish student, Michael Connor, who joined us from Woodchurch High School, said: “The families were so welcoming. They were fantastic and it was a great experience.”

Targeting a clean sweep of As in Spanish, History and English Literature in the summer, Michael concluded: “It was really useful in terms of practising Spanish. We were talking in the language pretty much constantly so it was a very formative visit. In terms of our oral exam, all the speaking we had to do was the ideal practice. Salamanca’s such a cultural place too so it was an incredible trip.”

Teacher Cristina said: “It’s lovely to hear some of the students coming back and saying ‘everything has just clicked now’ – they understand the language much better and it’s inspired them to continue with Spanish and work even harder towards their exams. They got immersed in the culture and the language, and that immersion is the best motivation they can get.”

The students stayed in pairs with the local families, and Cristina, who was joined on the trip by English teacher, Joe Peters, explained: “Staying with the families can be daunting at first but in less than a day, all the students found that they could chat very comfortably. It is throwing them in at the deep end in a way, but that’s the point. There are other options for staying in residences or hotels, but staying with the families gives them the opportunity to use the language, and it’s language that they already know, but it’s in a new environment.”

Cristina arranged for the students to get a taste of what else Salamanca has to offer, not only with making and eating local food but also with a special after-dinner performance from ‘La Tuna’ – musical entertainment with a unique tradition.

Salamanca La Tuna from Birkenhead Sixth Form College on Vimeo.

Born in the 13^th Century, ‘tunas’ were students who would band together to play music in exchange for much-needed money or food. While the desperate needs might no longer be applicable, current and ex-students alike join ‘La Tuna’ to keep the tradition alive, and our students got fully involved in the cultural institution, maybe with a hint of empathy with La Tuna’s humble beginnings.

{gallery:Salamanca Trip March 2016}

What better place for our students to gain enlightenment than the ‘City of Light’?

Paris, the home of some of the greatest philosophical, academic and artistic minds, along with a host of the world’s most celebrated architecture and sights, is in no way short of inspiration.

With the examination horizon ever-nearing, a group of seven Modern Languages students headed to the région parisienne to broaden their learning bases and give their French speaking skills an alpha testing before the real thing in late April.

Over four nights in the French capital, the students had a non-stop schedule in order to include all the scholarly and cultural offerings: from lessons in a French college to the wonders in the Louvre; triumphs in cooking lessons to the Arc de Triomphe.

First year, John McAney, was one student who took full advantage of all the trip had to offer and felt he’d made giant steps on his return home: “Going to the French college was quite daunting to start with. I’m not the best at meeting new people anyway, so I thought it being people who don’t even speak the language would make it even more difficult, but it wasn’t.”

John, who joined us from Wirral Grammar School to study French, Psychology, Fine Art and Graphics, continued: “We had to speak French in the college but I think having to do that and being put on the spot a little bit really helped with my confidence, especially when people seemed a bit surprised in there when I was speaking the language! I think maybe they expected us to stick with English the entire time, so seeing people being appreciative of our efforts also helped a lot. I suppose there was a safety net of being able to converse in English if we wanted to but not using that safety net made for a much better experience.”

Talking about a different sort of achievement, John added: “Going up to the top of the Eiffel Tower was pretty breath-taking. I don’t like heights at all but I felt like I had to do that so I’m really happy that I did!”

French teacher, Viviane Ouvradou, who led the trip, said: “The development in using the language is great for the students, but I also felt like they had the chance to learn some life-lessons too. Speaking with new people from a new place can be difficult but they all showed genuine interest in listening and making new friends.

Viviane concluded: “It’s about facing fears a little bit, whether that’s going up the Eiffel Tower, speaking the different language or communicating with strangers and improving interpersonal skills.”

While the majority of our students elect to study at university after finishing at the Sixth Form College, there are plenty of other paths available into their chosen careers.

As part of being Wirral’s specialist sixth form, our Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair is designed to enable students to be informed about all the options open to them after their A Levels.

Over a dozen companies and organisations came to the college to let the students ask any questions about careers and apprenticeships in their fields, and to inform as to what pathways to the future are on offer outside of higher education.

Take a look as what some of our visitors had to say:

Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair V2 from Birkenhead Sixth Form College on Vimeo.

Visitors included: The Army, ASDA, Aspire Achieve Advance, City of Liverpool College, Interserve, Jarvis Training Management, Kaplan, Merseyside Police, The RAF, Scottish Power, The Law Academy, TTE, Virgin Media and Wirral Metropolitan College.

Selecting their chosen university is one of the hardest decisions that many of our students have to make. Over 400 students went on to higher education last year and the prestigious Russell Group institutions are always popular choices, with Sixth Form College graduates from 2015  now studying at 14 of the 24 universities.

Oxford and Cambridge are often the cream that rises to the top of that list, and as part of our specialist support, a group of first year Honours Programme students were taken to Aintree Racecourse by their Personal & Guidance Tutors for a day of presentations and insight from the Oxbridge pair to help them make the most informed decision for their futures.

For some students, applying to either one of the most famous universities in the UK, that are synonymous with being at the forefront of academic achievement and celebration, has been a distant thought. Attending the conference, however, has made the prospect more than just a passing notion and turned it into a definite goal.

Economics, Government & Politics, History and Statistics student, Samuel Pelan, said: “Learning how to make your application was fantastically useful but the course-specific presentations really sold me. I was fairly sure I was going to apply to Oxford and I was fairly certain it was going to be for Politics, Philosophy & Economics (PPE), but this completely made up my mind.”

Samuel, who joined the college after being home tutored previously, continued: “I wasn’t too keen on the philosophy side beforehand, but after the presentation I was just hooked. They explained about all the modules which all sounded so interesting – political philosophy, metaphysics – it all sounded brilliant.”

On course for straight As in his AS Level exams this summer, Samuel concluded: “You can tell that it’s a different level in both universities - the way the students act and the way they speak. There’s no doubt that I’m applying for Oxford now; 100%. It’d be the best thing in the world to get to go there.”

Fellow first year, Bradley Bayley, also had an eye-opening experience, explaining: “The guys giving the talks seemed really good fun and made the presentations entertaining. They explained about the systems around the colleges as well, which seemed really interesting and pretty different to other places. They have ways of helping each other, like a ‘mother and father’ scheme with ‘children’ in the year below and ‘grandchildren’ in first year; it sounded quite funny but it’s clearly a great support system!”

Bradley, who studies Geography, ICT, Maths and Physics and is also set for the top grades come summer, appreciated the level of prestige which comes hand-in-hand with becoming Oxbridge alumni and said that the conference helped him decipher which direction he wanted his learning to take:

“I was thinking about doing Maths or Physics but now I’m swaying towards engineering, whether electrical or standard. From the presentations and the prospectuses I read, the courses on offer seem to be exactly what I’d want to do. It’s a close run, but I think Cambridge offers more of what I want to do so I’m leaning towards there.”

Health for both body and mind has never been a higher priority in the public mind-set and a Sixth Form College campaign aimed at 16 to 19-year-olds is helping our students stay as informed as possible.

Foundation to Health & Veterinary Studies (Year 0) students have been planning and producing the campaign in their final few weeks with us before heading off to study at the University of Liverpool upon successful results, and the rest of the students at the college are the ones who benefit from their work.

The health promotion event focussed on mental wellbeing, nutrition & exercise, binge drinking, smoking, skin cancer awareness and the health implications of tattoos, among others.

Year 0 teacher, Ashley Vallance, explained: “The students which the campaign is aimed at can come away with really important health messages.

“We want them to be aware of health issues that are particularly targeted at 16-19-year-olds. Moving into the exam period – having an awareness of nutrition, exercise and looking after themselves in regards to their mental health, and generally, is crucial. The skin cancer awareness campaign is also highly relevant with summer approaching and people going on holidays.”

Ashley continued: “Our Year 0 students get the chance to operate in a group and produce an effective health promotion campaign. Part of their assignment is an evaluation of how the campaign performed and, as many of them will be going into health professions after they leave here, speaking to the rest of the students at the college and helping to educate them could be an important learning tool.”

Joel Morgan was raising awareness about nutrition & exercise and explained that his pilot research studies made for an informed, specific campaign plan: “It’s a matter of encouraging rather than pushing too hard, which can be off-putting, but the information we’re providing is really beneficial.  

“Our pilot study showed that a lot of students weren’t drinking enough water. Keeping hydrated helps you concentrate more; it’s actually noticeable how much better your concentration is, and you get less fatigue.”

Joel added: “We’ve also come up with 30 day challenges for exercising. It can start off with something very small, like two or three sit-ups or push-ups or squats, but then build on that over the period. People seem to like the challenges because it’s something to motivate them.”

Rebekah Denton and Ashley Tynan were informing students about binge-drinking but expanded their message after initial research findings.

Rebekah said: “We’re giving the students information about how much is too much, but also factoring in drink-driving as well so they can be informed about getting in the car with someone who’s under the influence. We found that our initial research highlighted that as a potential problem so redesigned the focus of the project to accommodate that.”

{gallery:Year 0 Health Campaign 2016}

Meeting a world famous psychologist, holding tarantulas, being hypnotised, visiting London Zoo, going to the dungeons and seeing a West End show seems like an awful lot to fit into a three day trip to the capital, but our Psychology students lapped it all up.

With a loaded schedule, 38 AS students ventured down to the Big Smoke for an inspirational Psychology trip and weren’t left disappointed.

Top of the list was a conference with guest psychologist speakers addressing a number of issues in the field, and none more renowned than Dr Phillip Zimbardo. Now at the grand age of 83, and managing to dance on stage during his talks, Dr Zimbardo is a preeminent psychologist, still at the peak of his game and a figure of particular study in Psychology classes. His 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, investigating the cognitive effects of being a prisoner or prison guard, was made into a feature film last year, making it the only psychology experiment to ever be the focus of a Hollywood movie.

His controversial findings in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal during the war in Iraq in 2003 also made Zimbardo a name on every psychologist’s lips, and our students had the rare opportunity to hear him talk and ask him questions about those subjects, and his current work regarding evil, heroes and shyness.

First year, Emily Challinor, said: “The trip was amazing. The Zimbardo talk really was the highlight too. We had plenty of fun doing the other activities but seeing his talk was even better than the zoo, theatre or the dungeons.”

Emily, who joined the college from Prenton High School, continued: “He told us about where and how he grew up; that he was a kid from the Bronx, from the ghetto, and he showed that no matter what your background is, you can still be one of the most successful and well-respected people in your field.”

Emily studies Psychology, Law, Applied Science and Mandarin Chinese at the college, and said: “You can learn what went on from other people’s perspectives but he told us everything in his own words, and had his own criticisms. I had so many questions that I planned to ask too, but he answered every single one throughout his talk.”

Fellow first year, Leah Coathup, was with Emily on the trip and agreed with her classmate: “I took a lot out of him talking about his prison experiment. You read about it and study it but hearing his point of view was incredible. I even got a selfie with him afterwards!”

A London Zoo visit brought phobias to the fore and the group learnt about the power of suggestion, and even underwent hypnosis themselves. The option to hold a tarantula towards the end of the sessions was as popular as it was vociferously shunned, but some students even conquered their own personal phobias to let all eight of the spider’s legs into their palms.

Emily said: “I liked holding the tarantula, but then I’ve got a pet tarantula at home.”

Former Woodchurch High student Leah, on the other hand, said she had to leave the room!

Head of Psychology, Rob Myatt, who led the trip to London, said: “Meeting such an influential psychologist that they learn so much about in the classroom was really inspiring. A few students even got autographs, so that speaks volumes!”

Rob continued: “Seeing some students overcome their fears in the phobias session at the zoo was really impressive. Some said that they’d never hold a tarantula but they did in the end.

“The way the whole group engaged in every activity was superb and made for an extremely enjoyable trip. Even with the added bonuses like seeing Billy Elliot and the dungeons (where there was plenty of screaming!), the students were still linking everything with Psychology, so they all clearly took a lot out of the experience.”

With the Bar Mock Trial National Final at the Old Bailey only three weeks away, our Law students were given the opportunity to flex their barristerial muscles in a practice session at Calday Grange Grammar School.

Overseen by their Elysium Law barrister mentor, Richard Gray, who has also just won Law Mentor of the Year having helped the team to the final, The Sixth Form College’s legal elite set about prosecuting and defending their clients in preparation for their big day.

Judging by this video, they have also learnt that their witnesses can be as much of a handful as their clients!

Bar Mock Trial Practice from Birkenhead Sixth Form College on Vimeo.

Many thanks go to Calday for their generosity in hosting the session, which proved extremely beneficial for everyone involved and was greatly appreciated.

Two Honours Programme students have been given the chance to explore their chosen future career paths at one of the UK’s most prestigious learning courses.

Villiers Park Educational Trust aims to ensure young people with a passion for study and learning reach their full academic potential, with an emphasis on helping those from less advantaged backgrounds gain places at leading universities and thrive once there.

With keen interests in careers in Law and Computer Science respectively, Ruby Keeler-Williams and Alex Parkinson gained places on the selective courses through the specialist support of The Sixth Form College’s Personal & Guidance Tutors, whose work within social mobility has already been praised.

First year Ruby, who joined the college from Woodchurch High School and studies Psychology and Science along with Law, is looking at becoming a lawyer and said that the five day Villiers Park course at the campus in Cambridge went a long way in helping her decide in which direction she’d like to go:

“I’ve known that I wanted to do Law since I started at The Sixth Form College, but the course has reaffirmed that for me, especially that I want to concentrate on criminal law or human rights law – somewhere that I feel I can make an impact. We had some sessions on commercial law but I feel quite strongly that the other two areas could be my vocation.”

As one of the selected 20 students on the Law course, making her in the top 5% of performers in the country according to Villiers Park staff, Ruby, who is part of the First XI Football Team at the college, explained that the long days of study and research in Cambridge weren’t as much of a shock to the system as they could have been: “It was great to be learning in what felt very much like a higher education environment. It was very intensive, listening and learning from others around you as well as directly from the speakers and teachers, but the way that we’re taught at the college meant that I was prepared for that and it wasn’t such a big step.”

Fellow first year, Alex Parkinson, is targeting a career in the Computer Science industry, and studies the subject at The Sixth Form College along with Maths, Further Maths and Physics.

Alex, formerly of Pensby High School, said: “We were all encouraged to learn something new and interesting and, because we all went for one subject, computing science, everyone had the same interests and hobbies. For the most part we made web pages out of html and a chosen language like JavaScript or Python.”

Alex continued: “It gave me a real idea of what you would do in a profession involving Computing. It was a great experience because it helped develop attributes that I’m not too skilled in at the moment, and from that it's really sparked an interest in me to do more programming.  It also really helped me to get used to meeting new, interesting people and get socialising.”

Inspiration for learning can come in many guises but, for musicians, perhaps the ultimate motivation to better yourself comes from playing with peers at the very top of their game, and seeing that you can do it too.

That’s precisely what two of The Sixth Form College’s top Music students have been doing with the National Youth Orchestra, whose programmes look to encourage and enthuse young musicians to reach their very real potential.

First years, Tom Swainston and Ed Carew, have hooked up with the NYO to further their already burgeoning talents in the brass section, with both students set to secure A grades in Music come August results.

Tom, who joined us from St Anselm’s College, applied for a programme called ‘NYO Inspire’, which aims to give breakthrough experiences of orchestral music to teenagers of all backgrounds through peer inspiration and leadership.

Music student Tom, who also studies Maths, Physics and Applied Science, said: “I filled in the form and answered questions along the lines of ‘why should we pick you’ and ‘how do you stand out’. I was lucky enough to be accepted with the answers I gave.”

Having attended the course in Nottingham, trumpeter and pianist Tom explained: “We played three pieces whilst I was there: Shostakovich’s Jazz Suites No1 & No2 and Anna Clyne’s Night Ferry. The day was split into four parts and we started with all the brass playing together, followed by just the trumpets. Then we moved to a full orchestra rehearsal before ending with a concert.”

The NYO also say that they look at how their young musicians interpret the music and only select the most committed musicians for Inspire, which Tom clearly already demonstrates in his studies, but now has a definite understanding of how to progress in his field.

Naming some as his influences as all-time greats Harry James and Louis Armstrong, Tom said: “I can appreciate now that individual practice and hard work improves the bigger picture, and I can relate that to my college work by concentrating on smaller topics and features to raise the overall level, rather than thinking about whole sections of work at a time.

“I feel like this has given me a very real idea of what is expected of a professional musician, in the work ethic and attitudes as well as just the standard of playing.”

Fellow trumpeting first year, Ed Carew, who also joined the college from St Anselm’s last year, and was shortlisted for the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year Award, is currently still with the National Youth Orchestra on a two week residency course which focuses on teamwork and shared approaches to practice and playing.

As exam time approaches and stress levels can start to rise, The Sixth Form College is expanding its voluntary programme of Mindfulness to help students perform to their full potential.

The specialist support offered at The Sixth Form College comes in a variety of packages. Along with the academic and development support of the individually assigned Personal & Guidance Tutors, and the Enrichment opportunities available to further students’ extracurricular activities while enhancing the CV, there are other systems in place to support our students through their time studying A Levels.

Mindfulness may be an unfamiliar concept to some but it’s something that currently helps a number of students measurably improve their performance in class and beyond. While the students currently benefitting from the activity had the option directly suggested to them, the college is preparing to offer drop-in sessions for anyone who may feel increasing anxiety and tension around this crucial time of year.

A form of cognitive training aimed at enhancing academic achievement, the college’s Mindfulness programme is a voluntary option but one which several students can testify is helping them with their workload, plus their life outside college.

Born out of ancient Buddhist techniques but now recognised as definitively secular, trained Mindfulness instructor and Psychology teacher Roy Owen helps students focus on the current moment and reduce anxiety and stress, which can have detrimental effects on production and organisation of workloads.

At the end of 2015, the government backed a £1m national scheme to increase the number of teachers trained in instructing Mindfulness in order to make it common place in educational institutions, as it assists in academia as well as mental health and wellbeing in young people – an issue which has often been underestimated in the past.

One student, who has attended Mindfulness sessions twice a week for the last term, said: “When I first started, I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but you can feel the benefits as soon as you start. You can concentrate better on your work. Before Mindfulness, I was behind on a lot of my coursework but now I’m up to date with everything. It’s helped a lot.

“It’s particularly helpful to put your thoughts into perspective. It’s not a matter of those thoughts disappearing but more like putting them in order and not feeling overwhelmed.”

Another student, who has been practicing Mindfulness for around two months, said: “I might not have passed some tests, or even some subjects before, but now I can and I do. It’s helped me become more organised with my work and focus more, but be relaxed at the same time.”

“I actually appreciate my family a lot more now. I used to go home and just go to my room or be on my phone the whole time. I talk to my family a lot more and appreciate being around them and their company.”

Instructor and Psychology teacher, Roy Owen, said: “There’s great quote from Abraham Lincoln that we use as an example for Mindfulness: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” That’s exactly how it works; we’re sharpening the axe.”

Roy continued: “A lot of students find it difficult to understand how something extra on your timetable, a 45 minute slot per week, could possibly give you more time to do work. What you find is, when you practice Mindfulness, you’re much more efficient in what you do. A piece of work that may take you two hours may only take an hour when your mind isn’t full and you’re more mindful.”

To any sceptics, Roy’s response was simple: “If someone told you a book was a load of rubbish but had never read the book themselves, you’d say to them to read the book. It’s the same with Mindfulness.”

A visit to the Birmingham NEC to see The Gadget Show Live exhibition might not seem like a day of study to most but, for our ICT and Computer Science students, that’s exactly what it was.

The popular Channel 5 show has been running for over a decade and their annual live exhibition is a chance for the general public to see first-hand some of the most innovative, cutting edge technology around – which is exactly where our students come in.

Head of Computing& ICT, Trish Lewis, explained that events like The Gadget Show Live are crucial for the development of the students, who are gearing up for a possible career in an field unlike any other:

“There’s a difference in ICT compared to other subjects as we can’t know exactly what the students will be using in their future careers because it hasn’t even been invented yet! We have to keep them looking forward to what’s around the corner, and what’s around the next one, so they can be as prepared as possible when they leave college.”

Trish continued: “The students got to see the kind of software and gadgets that they’ll be working with in the future. It really prepares them for what’s out there, not just for now but in the future when it comes to university or apprenticeships and beyond.”

She also described how many lessons in college will begin with sessions called ‘What the Papers Say’, in which the latest technological advances can be highlighted and discussed so everyone is up to date, including the teachers.

Trish said: “Exhibitions and shows like the Gadget Show Live are also important for the staff because we change what we teach in accordance with what the emerging technology is, so we stay ahead of the curve. Our curriculum in the coming years will most likely have plenty of content about virtual reality and augmented reality, which are at the forefront of advances at the moment.”

IT student, Robyn Brooks, who joined us from Prenton High School, said: “Seeing the new technology, as well as being able to buy and test some, like Google Cardboard, was really enjoyable. It was inspiring to see what’s coming onto the market, where it came from and how they’re making steps in a new direction.”

Robyn continued: “There’s a lot more on offer than what you see in adverts, and at a really high quality. We have to be able to talk about up-and-coming technology in class so the trip to The Gadget Show will really have an impact on my work on the course.”

On future plans, Robyn said: “Whatever job I go into, I will need IT knowledge. The world is dependent on new technology and IT and my studies here have given me skills that plenty of employers will be after.”

Six students from The Sixth Form College arrived back to class this week having spent their Spring Break 6000 miles from home on the trip of a lifetime.

In the shadow of Table Mountain, our team of six intrepid travellers joined 11 other volunteers with HQ Coaching Centre in Cape Town, where they taught football to thousands of local children over the course of their ten day trip.

As part of our Enrichment Programme, students are encouraged to take up voluntary work, which can not only improve the CV before leaving college but also make a real difference in the community – any community – and, crucially, help personal and character development for their futures.

Having been introduced to HQ Coaching through our annual Enrichment Fair, the students put their names down for a whole new experience and started the process of raising the requisite £1500 by all means at their disposal. After countless jumble sales, raffles and donations, their places were secured and they boarded the plane to South Africa.

Using a local HQ Coaching partner sports college as their base, Ruby Keeler-Williams, Shannon Morgan, Sam Lloyd, Laura Bascombe, Ciaron Sudlow and Megan Condliffe coached in a new school in a new township every day, across a diverse range of socio-economic situations. They also had the chance to soak in what Cape Town, and South Africa, had to offer and took home some unforgettable moments.

First year, Ruby Keeler-Williams, who joined the college from Woodchurch High School, said: “We did some sightseeing and went up Table Mountain, and did shark cage diving which was amazing, but the highlight was the coaching; getting to go to all these different places and meet so many different people.”

Ruby coaches special needs children at Liverpool FC every weekend and explained the differences between what she’s used to and teaching in South Africa: “Most of the kids spoke English so there wasn’t a massive language barrier, but then some didn’t speak particularly great English or any at all, so it was a matter of getting your point across non-verbally. There were all really passionate and extremely well behaved.”

Law, Science and Psychology student, Ruby, also spoke of future plans, saying: “I want to go into Law but the trip’s given me so much more confidence in my communication skills: learning to be concise and clear. I think the whole trip’s changed me as a person as well.”

Fellow first year, Sam Lloyd, previously of The Kingsway Academy, agreed with Ruby and said: “As far as ability, a lot of the kids loved doing the fancy skills that they’ve seen the famous players do but couldn’t really pass or do some of the basics. You could see the differences that our coaching was making with them. It just felt like you’ve done something good in life.”

Sam, who takes Business, Film Studies, ICT and Drama & Theatre Studies, said that their roles also came with unexpected notoriety!

“A lot of the kids brought their notebook along for our autographs, and one fell in love with Ciaron!”

Picking up from Sam, Megan Condliffe said: “And they all knew and performed Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration, which was really funny!

“As a hobby, I’d definitely like to get into coaching U10s and U12s. It’s something I’ve always had in the back of my head but now that I’ve done it for real, I know that I can do it again.”

HQ Coaching tweeted to say that all six students were ‘positive models to all children and the rest of the volunteers involved’.

“This is a city that is one of the most remarkable in the world,” says Head of English, Jon Thorpe, who just returned from London with 18 A Level students.

The trip to the capital centred on complementing English Literature course studies, with visits to Shakespeare’s Globe and seeing Tate Britain’s magnificent William Blake collection, but extracurricular activities also played a role in understanding the London, and the Britain, that both visionaries struggled against.

Staying in the unusual setting of a converted courthouse, which saw the employment of Charles Dickens and, more recently, the trial of punk band The Clash, the students ventured to the South Bank, home of Shakespeare’s Globe. The Globe, as it stands, is a reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre which famously hosted so many of Shakespeare’s plays in London, and students were treated to an ‘authentic’ production of The Tempest.

Jon Thorpe explained: “There was no electricity and they had only candles as lighting, and we had to stand for it. They were seeing a play performed in the way that Shakespeare wrote for. It’s a primitive theatre experience but what they got was a unique opportunity to understand what his contemporary dramatic situation was.”

English Literature student, Eleanor Regan, said: “It was really enjoyable but I think I’ve learnt a lot too.”

Eleanor, who joined the college from St Mary’s Catholic College in Wallasey, continued: “It was great to see how Shakespeare’s plays would be presented at the time, and how different characters would be represented depending on where about they enter the stage. Actually seeing a play at the Globe put everything into context too, and helped us engage with the Elizabethan language.”

The Tate Britain’s Blake Collection is also of direct relevance to the students and ideal preparation for the upcoming exams, despite it being a collection of his art.

Eleanor, who studies Biology and History along with English Literature, said: “It is Blake’s poetry that we’re studying, a collection called ‘Songs of Innocence & Experience’, but they are also illustrated. We can draw on the illustrations for our exams and seeing them in person, along with all of his other paintings, helped us understand Blake’s broader ideas and how they all relate to each other.”

Head of English, Jon, added: “As well as housing the finest collection of (William) Blake paintings in the world, the Tate Britain visit was also important because it has the history of ideas in modern Europe represented there. It was a chance for the students to look around and see what we’ve been discussing in college.”

After scouring the books in the British Library, a boat trip, starting at Canary Wharf in Greenwich and ending at the South Bank in Southwark, was a chance for the students to not only see some of the capital’s most famous sites like Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, but to appreciate the extremes between the financial and creative districts of the sprawling city, the latter being something that both Blake and Shakespeare were part of instigating.

Jon said: “Some students had never been to London and the South Bank is really the cultural district, so they got a sense of the history of divisions of London and the religious tensions between Puritanism and Catholic. Just walking around the city gives you a history of Britain, in some ways.”

The Sixth Form College’s Bar Mock Trial National Final competitors returned from the Old Bailey having done themselves proud and gained invaluable experience for their summer exams and their personal futures.

Although the team didn’t make the final two, each Law student made an incredible effort in London, which was the culmination of all their hard work since winning the regional competition in December.

The Bar Mock Trial, which is run by the Citizenship Foundation, is celebrating its 25^th anniversary and has seen over 2,000 students, 300 barristers and 90 judges from all four home nations involved in the competition this year alone. In December, our team of ‘barristers’ beat opponents from selective and grammar schools across the region to win the Chester heat of the contest. They then joined 17 other regional victors at the Central Criminal Court of England, better known as the Old Bailey.

Head of Law, Paula Blakemore, said: “I couldn’t be more proud of my team, who were competing against the best in the UK.”

Former solicitor, Paula, added: “This is a superb addition to all the students’ CVs. It sets them apart from all other Law students and it’s a catalyst for a career at the Bar. If people want to become barristers these days, one of the first questions they’ll be asked is if they did the Bar Mock Trial. The whole experience stands them all in extremely good stead.”

Indeed, more students went on to study Law from The Sixth Form College than any other Wirral school last year, and it was the most popular choice of any degree course for our 2015 leavers.

A Level Law student and team member, Emma Donnelly, who joined the college from Woodchurch High School, described how she benefitted from the experience, and that their barrister mentor, Richard Gray of Elysium Law and Law Mentor of the Year, added to the solid legal foundations that the team have been taught in class.

Emma said: “Even though we didn’t win, I don’t think any of us minded because we all loved it so much. Everything went to plan. All our teams came out smiling and feeling confident after their turns.

“We’ve all learned advocacy skills that just wouldn’t be possible in any other situation. Our mentor, Rick (Gray), has taught us so much about how to present evidence and the role of a barrister.”

The experience has also helped Emma, who studies Psychology and Sociology alongside Law, with an important career decision ahead of her impending A Level exams:

“Even though it was an amazing experience, it’s made my mind up that I’d rather be a solicitor than a barrister. I loved being in court but I don’t think I could handle that pressure or the uncertainty every day. I’ve applied to study Law at university and I’m looking at apprenticeships too but I’m definitely set on becoming a solicitor now.”

First year and fellow team member, Carl Kelly, has other plans, however.

Carl joined us from the Mosslands School, Wallasey, and said: “I was a bit torn between wanting to be a barrister or a solicitor and it’s definitely pushed me towards the Bar. I like standing up, speaking to people and presenting so I’d rather not be behind a desk. I love the pressure of it all.”

Law, Government & Politics, Business Studies and Economics student, Carl, continued: “It was horribly nerve-wracking but definitely worth it in the end. As much as there’s been a lot of time dedicated to doing it, what we’ve gained from learning to present and apply the law is absolutely paramount. The experience will definitely help with our exams.”

If the prestige of getting to the final wasn’t enough, the setting for their barristerial turns was as awe-inspiring as it comes for budding lawyers.

Carl explained: “We had a tour of the Old Bailey to start and we ended up giving our case in the same court that Peter Sutcliffe was tried in. The building is enormous too, which you never really see on TV. When I stood outside and saw the Lady Justice statue on top of the dome, it seemed unreal”

The Dalraida School of Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland came out eventual winners of the competition.

A Year 0 student who studies at The Sixth Form College has been awarded the honour of a place in the Great Britain team for the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando.

Laura Knowles flies out to Florida in just over a week’s time to compete in the second Invictus Games, which are being staged at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort, after London hosted the inaugural event in 2014.

The Games were established under the leadership of Prince Harry in 2014 to support Service men and women who have suffered injuries both visible and invisible while serving their country, and ‘harness the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those whom serve their countries’.

Laura, who is on the Foundation to Health & Veterinary Studies (Year 0) pre-degree course leading directly to the University of Liverpool, joins a team of 110 Britons in the USA and will compete in the Powerlifting, Rowing, Archery and Field categories between 8^th and 12^th May.

Laura served in the Welsh Guards and is among the athletes whose injuries are less visible.

She said: “A lot of the team have physical injuries which people can obviously see, but a huge part of the Games is about mental health. I’m doing a lot of work at the moment to try to raise awareness of the whole issue. Earning a place on the team isn’t just about your performance: it’s about how you get on with others and with the media, and how it would aid your recovery.”

Laura has been doing extensive work with the mental health charity Mind and was due to run in last Sunday’s London Marathon to raise yet more money - a plan which has been postponed until next year due to the Invictus Games selection.

A versatile athlete, 24-year-old Laura has high hopes to return home with medals around her neck in at least one event.

She said: “I don’t want to jinx it but I’m fairly confident about the rowing. The trials were about producing a one minute best effort, then a four minute best effort (as far as you can row in the set times) about 15 minutes after each other. That may not sound a lot but when you’re putting everything into it, it absolutely wipes you out. A girl who did it in the 2014 Invictus Games got a distance of 274m in the one minute trial. I managed to get 298m and she came up to me to tell me that she’d never seen anyone beat her time before, so that was pretty pleasing!”

While rowing may be her strongest asset, the Year 0 student is pragmatic about her chances in other areas: “Powerlifting is judged just on the bench press, as a lot of the competitors will be amputees. If I have a good day, I’d hope to win a medal, but I’m not going to win because there’s a girl that’s been paralysed from the waist down so set about training her upper body and she’s just incredible! She’s got to win it.”

“Archery is more of a hobby for me. I like to do it to chill out because, unlike the other activities, the more power you put in isn’t going to help you, so you have to stay calm!”

It was the subject chosen by more of our students than any other last year and figures so far for September 2016 show that the popularity of studying Psychology at The Sixth Form College is not for waning.

Only Law was more frequently chosen by our 2015 leavers for their degree course than Psychology: testament to the national climate which places Psychology as the second most popular of all undergraduate programmes after Nursing.

Trips to London conferences, brain dissections, creepy-crawly phobia days and talks on the criminal mind may have a bearing on choosing Psychology at the college, along with the commercial success of TV programmes like the ‘CSI’ series and ‘Silent Witness’, but in one of life’s convenient coincidences, a psychologist can best explain why the subject often sells itself.

Head of Psychology at The Sixth Form College, Rob Myatt, believes that the challenge of a subject previously unstudied in secondary school can have enormous appeal, but also the decision lies in answering the question ‘why?’.

Rob said: “Students will look into what studying Psychology entails and find that we’re discussing experiences and behaviour that they can relate to. Take phobias, for example. Even if it’s not an extreme phobia, most people will have a genuine fear of something, so they can empathise and want to understand why they might have that particular fear. Another instance is how we behave in groups compared to individually – people can relate to behaviour being different when at a party rather than in smaller groups. That grabs their interest; they want to know why it happens.”

Trying to answer that all important question of ‘why?’ may be a harder task than it seems, however, but one which can aid students on their future paths in both study and career.

Psychologist Rob explained that mathematical, scientific and literary abilities all help to make a successful student, and said: “It may be that we have to examine multiple pieces of research and weigh them against each other to draw conclusions, rather than having a definitive answer. That process can feel extremely rewarding, and is one which gives students the transferrable skills for studying any number of subjects in university outside of Psychology.”

On a national level, the growing emphasis on mental health means that there are major growth areas in careers for those with a psychological knowledge base, but that adds to a multitude of vocational job options that put Psychology students at a distinct advantage, as Rob describes:

“Take marketing, for example, where psychological and positive association techniques are used to sell your product; even the colours that are used in adverts and signage are chosen because of Psychology. Social services, police, human resources – all of these areas benefit from people with an understanding of the subject, and that’s not even mentioning the more traditional fields associated with Psychology, like education or research. It opens many doors for people.”

The new student faces of the Sixth Form College have been chosen, as we start to say goodbye to those leaving us and usher in the 2016/17 Student Ambassador Team.

With term time drawing to a close and the exam period beginning, our A Level students hand the baton to the small, elite team of current first years that have been selected to represent the college in the next academic year.

Out of the hundreds in their year group, only 24 ambassadors were chosen to be the first port of call for new and prospective students, offering advice and guidance from a peer-to-peer vantage point. They also supply crucial support for the Marketing & Admissions department at Open Events, New Student Inductions and Enrolment, along with acting as representatives of the student caucus and bringing any issues and ideas to light. Charity events, competitions, sports activities, shows and performances all have a part to play in the Ambassadors’ role too, as they work closely with college staff to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

Louis Earley joined The Sixth Form College from Hilbre High School, and is looking forward to starting his second year with us as a Student Ambassador.

Louis, who studies Biology, Chemistry, Music and Psychology, and recently claimed a prestigious place on an RAF flying course, said: “It's honestly a privilege to have been selected. I can't wait to settle into the role and be one of the faces of the student body at the college, and importantly, to represent their views and needs.”

Louis is joined on the team by former Woodchurch High School student, Emily Wagstaff. Emily hopes to be able to make those joining us for their first year after the summer as comfortable and settled in as possible.

Studying Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics, Emily has her eyes on a career in medicine and has represented The Sixth Form College in the Merseyside Young Analyst of the Year competition.

She said: “I’ve loved the opportunity to become part of the Ambassador team and can't wait to help others feel welcomed into the college. I’m really looking forward to talking to new and prospective students to help them feel at home, and tell them what college life is like. I like to think I can give something back to the college and be there to support my peers.”

Out-going Ambassador, Jess Billington, hopes to head off to study for a degree in Graphics at Chester University. She comes to the end of her tenure with some words of advice for her ambassadorial successors.

Jess said: “It’s been such a great experience and I’ve actually made a load of friends from doing it. It’s been good to see how the marketing side of things works too, and work with students and staff that maybe I wouldn’t have done otherwise. To all the new ambassadors, I’d say just be confident, and most especially, help people out whenever you can.”

The job still remains to select a Head Boy and Head Girl for the 2016/17 academic, with all students free to apply for the positions whether they are Student Ambassadors or not.

The Student Ambassador Team: Liam Ainsworth, Melissa Andrews, Emily Balmer, Amber Cashin, Megan Condliffe, Louis Earley, Matthew Jones, Ruby Keeler-Williams, Jacob Khan, Nicole Levit, James Milligan, Olivia Morgan, Sophie Murrell-Holmes, Christopher Owen, Sam Pelan, Casey Peters, Helen Rafferty, Nicole Reading, Katie Roberts, Holly Scales, Elloise Simpson, Emily Wagstaff, Stephanie Wilkinson, Zoe Williams.